1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to toy blocks, and, more particularly, to hollow toy blocks having frictional interconnection arrangements for detachable interconnection of a plurality of individual toy blocks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Toy blocks have long been fabricated from many different materials. Wood, ceramics, metals, and plastics have all been utilized heretofore. Various different interlocking or interconnecting arrangements have also been utilized to permit the blocks to be interconnected with each other and removed from each other. Such interconnection arrangements have heretofore included tongue-in-groove interconnections, notches and matching male members of various types, pin and slot arrangements, and various kinds and shapes of protrusions and protrusion accepting apertures.
Toy blocks, in general, are designed for children, to entertain, educate and aid in the development of improved physical dexterity. Many of the above different interconnection combinations are specifically designed to appeal to children having particular age and mental development levels. That is, difficult interconnection combinations generally appeal to older and more educationally developed children, and/or to children having a comparatively high degree of physical dexterity. However, simpler interconnecting arrangements are required for younger children, since, in the case of younger children, it is very important to provide toys which challenge the child, but do not frustrate the child to the point that the child rejects the toys. The small fingers, lack of physical strength, and limited manual dexterity of younger children impose constraints on the design and fabrication of interconnecting toy blocks. Such toy blocks, for such younger children, must, therefore, be comparatively easy to connect together and disconnect. Such ease of interconnection and removal enhances the play value of the blocks. Further, it is also required that such blocks, when interconnected, are able to withstand the rigors and stresses normally associated with the use of the blocks without inadvertent disconnection.
Additionally, the blocks should also be able to provide a level of complexity and sophistication during play, sufficient to maintain the interest of older children or even adults, in order to extend the play life and utility thereof. Such blocks should also be visually attractive in order to further enhance their play value. The above, often conflicting, requirements, have not, heretofore, been achieved in interconnecting toy block arrangements.
Particularly, in molded plastic toy blocks, the body means of the toy blocks has heretofore been generally unitarily fabricated. As such, the entire body means of the toy blocks was fabricated of the same material, having the same surface texture, and the same molded in color. It has been found that enhanced play value can be achieved by providing the body means of the toy blocks having different colors on different portions thereof. This tends to increase the attractiveness of blocks as a playtime object and, further, provides for a greater variety of visual appearances in the structures created by the interconnection of a plurality of such blocks. In order to achieve such difference in color in a single toy block of an interconnecting toy block arrangement, it has heretofore been necessary to attempt to provide different colors on different portions by use of paint or other surface colorations. Such steps are, of course, comparatively expensive. Preferably, a plurality of colors is provided in the fabrication of the toy block itself, so the extra step of applying the surface coloration becomes unnecessary.